Why Ryan Switzer should have been as good on the Steelers as Ray-Ray McCloud

So why is McCloud succeeding?

All of this comes back to the original point: why did Switzer fail while McCloud has succeeded. The simple answer on offense is neither is a true success. Switzer was poorly used in the offense, running short routes with little opportunity to make a play afterward. That isn’t to say Switzer could have been a truly dynamic slot receiver, but had he been targeted a little deeper, he could have at least functioned like more of a receiver.

McCloud has done mostly the same thing. He’s given the ball on a screen, picks up five to seven yards, and is then tackled. To be frank, they are using him better, setting him up on screens with blockers to give him a little push. That said, he isn’t being used as a receiver. It’s working for the team, but don’t confuse him with an actual receiver. He is a gadget only option right now on offense.

As for returns, McCloud seems to be more dynamic when given the chance to return. That said, he is benefiting from a stronger defense that is giving him better punt return situations. While Switzer was miserable in the role, more often than not the 2018 defense had allowed enough yards that the opposing punter was trying to pin the Steelers, not boot the ball as far away as he could. The averages don’t lie, McCloud has been far more dynamic as a returner, but he is in a far better position than Switzer ever was.

All of this to say, the reason Switzer failed with the Steelers can be summed up as expectations because of him being traded for, the miserable way the Steelers used him on offense, and the defense allowing for fewer punt return opportunities. Mix that in with an average at best skill set, and you have his Steelers career end as it did. Credit to McCloud for picking up the slack, as his vision on returns has been key in his early successes with the team, but don’t mistake him for a true offensive weapon. Overall, McCloud has been the superior player, but one has to think had their timelines flipped, the Steelers could be praising Switzer instead.